THREE DIETS, ONE EATING PLAN (Part 2)

Previously I described the concept of combining elements of three unique diets to form your own custom designed eating plan. In the early 90’s I started putting clients on the Paleo diet and I closely monitor their results. Some thrived on Paleo while even more clients prospered on diets that mixed in components of the Mediterranean diet. I’ve since developed a Paleo/Mediterranean hybrid Diet. The best diet for any individual may lie on a continuum between strict Paleo and Americanized Mediterranean. I’m suggesting that you try my plan and throw in a couple of Okinawan Diet principles while you’re at it.

Paleo Diet - The word “Paleo” is short for Paleolithic, which refers to an era ending at least 10,000 years ago. It was a time characterized by nomadic hunter/gatherer clans who lived before agriculture. The bulk of calories in their diet came from healthy fats, fish, and animals, whereas the physical bulk came from plants that were mostly leafy and herb type. Keep in mind that the beef would be todays equivalent of grass fed beef, pastured pork and pasture raised chicken as well as local seafood. As important would be the vegetables we local, seasonal and fresh. No processed foods are allowed on the Paleo Diet. Medical anthropologists consider Paleo peoples the healthiest humans to have ever inhabited the earth. They were healthy, despite short life expectancies that resulted from infectious disease, accidents, and childbirth-related deaths. Our Paleo ancestors never knew the scourge of chronic, lifestyle related disease.

Mediterranean Diet – This diet is characterized by an eating style that has been practiced for many thousands of years in the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Scientists started to notice that longer life expectancy and reduced susceptibility to chronic disease were characteristic of the region’s inhabitants, and researchers largely attributed these significant health benefits to their diet. The Mediterranean diet is less restrictive and more like modern diets than the Paleo Diet. It provides benefit by increasing healthy fats and greatly reducing processed foods. A variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, fatty fish, nuts, wine and olive oil are hallmarks of the Mediterranean diet.

Okinawan Diet - This diet is eaten on islands located off mainland Japan. The longevity benefits enjoyed by Okinawans is thought to be related to their healthy lifestyle, which includes a traditional diet that is low in calories yet nutritionally dense. The traditional diet in Okinawa is centered on root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods ( local seafood ), lean meats, fruit, spices, tea, and alcohol are also consumed in moderation. Please note that soy products consumed in Okinawa is typically eaten in a fermented state. Soy in the U.S. is heavily genetically modified and contaminated with chemicals. Use this sample eating plan as a guide for you to devise the best diet for YOU. As I said, you’ll know it when you feel it!

Wayne Coolidge Jr., M.Ed. is a scholar-practitioner, author, and speaker. He owns Healthy Dynamic Living, an innovative health promotion consulting firm.